5 Last-Minute Backyard Improvements: Holiday Entertaining

Whether you had months to plan your holiday gathering or just found out unexpected guests will be arriving Christmas Eve, it is likely that you do not have time to finish everything you would like to accomplish before your guests arrive. While you may not have time to install a paving stone patio or build an outdoor kitchen, there are plenty of quick improvements you can make to spruce up your patio for outdoor holiday entertaining.

The first thing to do is clear the clutter. Remove old or empty planters, pick up dog and kids’ toys, pull weeds and remove any unnecessary items from your outdoor living areas. While this is not exactly a backyard improvement project, it will make a huge improvement on the overall look of your entertaining areas.

Once you have cleared the clutter, here are five last-minute improvement projects that can help you get your backyard ready for holiday entertaining.

5 Last-Minute Backyard Improvements for Outdoor Holiday Entertaining

1. Refresh ground covers.

This quick, affordable backyard improvement project provides a big impact with little effort. Over time, gravel, wood chips and other ground covers can lose their luster by breaking down or getting worked into the soil.

If you have time to schedule a delivery, you can order gravel or wood chips to be delivered directly to you house, which makes this project even easier. If not, you can pick up bags of pea gravel, bark or wood chips at your local garden center or home improvement store.

If the area you need to cover is not very large, this is one fast backyard improvement project you can do just hours before your guests arrive.

2. Paint your patio furniture and other exterior features.

If you have a couple of days before your holiday entertaining occurs, you have time to spruce up your outdoor living areas with a fresh coat of paint. You can add color and freshen the look of your patio and backyard by determining which of your exterior features could use a new coat of paint.

This might include your patio furniture, garden beds, planting pots, dog houses, shed, gazebo, arbors, pergola or fence.

3. Create covered seating areas.

If you are planning on hosting an outdoor holiday party, you are going to need plenty of covered seating. The seating is, of course, to ensure your guests have plenty of spots where they can sit while they eat or chat with other guests. The covered part is to make sure your guests are protected from potentially inclement weather, such as rain.

If you currently have a patio but it is not covered, the fastest way to cover it is to buy a canopy. You may also be able to find shade sails on short notice, but it is more likely that you will need to order this option to get the correct size, so this is less likely to be a viable, last-minute fix.

If you are short on time, look for options you may already have. For example, do you have a gazebo that could be set up as a separate seating area? Do you have a garden shed that could be cleaned out and spruced up to create an impromptu area where guests can mingle?

4. Block the view of your garbage cans, air conditioning unit or neighbors.

If your outdoor Christmas party is just days – or hours – away, you may not have much time to block unsightly spots in your yard or increase the privacy of your patio. If you need to quickly block your neighbor’s view or block the view of your garbage cans or air conditioning unit, you can do so with a pre-made privacy screen, potted plants, hanging plants or lattice. You may even have time to pick up pre-made fence panels that can be temporarily placed to block the views and properly installed when you have more time.

5. Add color, texture and new life with patio cushions and rugs.

If your patio furnishings are a bit lackluster or have seen better days, an easy, affordable way to update your patio is to replace your cushions and rugs. It might be a little tough to find patio cushions in winter, but you can always use indoor throw pillows in a pinch. Just do not expect them to hold up outdoors over time; you will want to replace them with outdoor cushions or store them in a deck box when not in use. Alternatively, if you have a few days before your guests arrive, you can order outdoor rugs and patio cushions from an online retailer that offers fast shipping.

You can also add color to your patio by filling planters with flowers or spending an hour or two putting up festive decorations throughout your outdoor entertaining areas.

More Tips for Outdoor Holiday Entertaining